Issue No. 45
Spring/Summer 2015
President’s Message BY PAUL COWLEY
Having just come out of one of the harshest winters in memory, I note how quickly it is forgotten now that the first hot days herald the arrival of summer. This summer marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of French explorer Samuel de Champlain in Huronia. There will be many events to celebrate this anniversary and you can learn more about them at www.rendezvouschamplain.ca. Our current water levels are just slightly above their long term average. That said, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Environment Canada have recently reduced their precipitation forecast and increased their temperature forecast for the summer, a combination which will probably result in lower lake levels. As was the case last spring, these slightly higher levels have lured people and governments into a false sense that the issue with the St. Clair River and our lake levels has gone away. It hasn't. Restore Our Water International’s (ROWI’s) ability to fund-raise continues to be difficult as everyone thinks we are fine. We are not fine. ROWI’s ongoing lobbying work in Washington costs thousands of dollars a month. In addition, ROWI is trying to get our Canadian government to act, since it has done nothing even though the IJC recommended the installation of measures to slow the flow of the St. Clair River. ROWI’s funding has reached a critical low. Support is desperately needed. Please visit www.restoreourwater.com to keep updated and make a contribution, or contact me if you are willing to arrange a fund-raising event in your area. Georgian Bay water is a resource that we must proactively protect. Moving from water to land, parking continues to be a focus in Tiny, driven by the concerns of our fire chief about the numerous streets in the township that should be signed "No Parking" as they are too narrow to allow adequate access for fire trucks. This raises safety and liability issues should fire trucks be unable to properly access a fire. We are pleased to see the collaborative approach our new council is taking with the upcoming Town Hall Meetings which invite input from residents. The first meeting is from 7 to 9 p.m. on the evening of May 27 at Tiny’s Community Centre, 91 Concession Road 8 East. Please consult tiny.ca for updates about the other two meetings. Let us know what subjects you would like to see addressed in articles in the next edition of The Tiny Cottager. Also, we welcome the energy of new volunteers to help us with various interesting projects, so do get in touch if you would like to help to improve Tiny in an area interest to you. Have a great summer!
Inside 2015 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 See What’s in Store...Habitat for Humanity ReStore . .3 Report on Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 A Tiny Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Restore Our Water International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Tiny Township Spending Trends Since 2000 . . . . . . . .6 Tiny’s New Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 SSEA Environmental Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Green Ribbon Champions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Recommended Summer Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Two Snowbirds in a Flordia Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 The Midland Drive-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Bell LTE Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Tiny Marsh BioBlitz! June 27 2015, 6 a.m. to midnight
Tiny Marsh, Ontario’s first provincially owned and managed wildlife area, consists of approximately 600 hectares of marsh and 300 hectares of field and forest. A recognized Important Bird Area (IBA), it is now managed by a volunteer non-profit organization, the MTM Conservation Association. The Tiny Marsh BioBlitz is part of the biological inventory program and will start at 6 a.m. Saturday June 27 and end around midnight. One- to 3-hour outings will depart the Nature Centre at various times, led by a group of experts with knowledge in different fields – birds, butterflies, pollinators and other insects, amphibians and reptiles, mammals and plants. Participants can come out for just one outing, or several. To register, call Kate Harries 705-322-2545 or email info@mtmconservation.org. Advance registration (call or email above) will be required; details of the outings will be posted closer to the time at www.mtmconservation.org. No experience or equipment required (binoculars a help). Jennifer Howard Photo
Ensuring Our Water Quality by Tending to Our Environment BY ANDRÉ BEAUSOLEIL, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, HABITAT RESTORATION ASSOCIATION OF LAFONTAINE
As an environmental technologist, I have practical experience in water resource management as well as stream habitat assessment and rehabilitation. The longterm goal of the Habitat Restoration Association of Lafontaine, which was formed in 2011, is to re-establish terrestrial and aquatic habitats and improve water quality by reducing phosphorus and nutrient inputs and bacteria (including Escherichia coli [E. coli]) into our local watercourses and ultimately our bays and lakes. One way this goal can be achieved in a sustainable fashion is by re-establishing riparian zone (stream and lake edge) setbacks and planting a variety of native trees and shrubs within these areas to act as buffers. This method has two benefits. Firstly, surface water running over replanted land is slowed, reducing erosion and allowing water to be absorbed into the ground and then filtered, decreasing the amount of nutrients and bacteria that enter the watercourse. A second benefit is that naturalized riparian zones provide much needed habitat corridors for all forms of wildlife. As director of the Habitat Restoration Association, I seek out landowners who are willing to set aside land for riparian zone buffers along watercourses that cross their property. Next comes the search for partners (governmental granting agencies and private donors) and
applications for funding for livestock exclusion fencing where needed, for the purchase of native trees and shrubs for buffer zones, and for ongoing maintenance. Beyond that, there’s a need to find volunteers to help with planting and maintenance. The Habitat Restoration Association, its volunteers and contributing partners have brought several projects to fruition to date. These include: • Five livestock exclusion fencing installations totalling 4,077 linear feet of high quality fencing. • The creation of two wetlands within livestock exclusion zones, complemented by riparian buffer zone plantings of native trees and berry-producing shrubs. • The planting of approximately 9,500 various trees and berry-producing shrubs along with weed suppression mats and stem protectors. • Completion of eight permanent, riparian-bufferzone, agricultural set backs totalling over sixteen acres in surface area. • The stabilization of two eroding banks utilizing such techniques as coco meshing with live willow tree staking and red dogwood shrub plantings. E. coli inputs to the Nottawasaga and Thunder Bays are not limited to outflow from creeks. Although the see LAFONTAINE CREEK on page 10
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